UNITED STATES
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Last Updated Oct 2012
Of all human groups, the church should be the most comforting for the hurting. After all, we are called by God to be welcoming, caring and nurturing. The turmoil in many congregations and denominations over sexual abuse shows in stark relief the results of trust broken.
In Nashville in 2011, the General Assembly passed Resolution 1122, calling the Church to prevent abuse and minister to the survivors and victims of abuse. For many years the General Commission on Ministry (GCOM) and regional commissions on ministry have been encouraging boundary training and other “safe church” practices, requiring these trainings for pastors to maintain ministerial standing, and for leaders who participate in camp and other youth programming
Each of our congregations has the opportunity and responsibility to create safe space and context for ministry. We are called to 1) assess the safety of our ministries 2) educate and train our leaders, and 3) assure that children, youth, and adults alike are respected and cared for in life-giving ways.
Most of us never think there will be a problem in our congregation, until the unthinkable happens and lives and communities are devastated. The very act of creating safe space and understanding proclaims to those in our congregations and those who yet to be in our congregations that we care about their lives. To be a safe church is to be a community of Christ’s welcome.
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